Method of knitting narrowed tubular fabrics



(No Model.)

J. H. 'PLAGE. METHOD OF KNITTING NARROWED TUBULAR FABRIGS.

No. 466.370. Patented Jan. 5-, 1892.

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' by hisafiomeg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. PLACE, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

METHOD "OF KNITTING NA RROWED TUBULAR FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 466,370, dated. January5, I892.

Application filed January 2, 1891. Serial No. 376,466- (No specimens.)

To 00% whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PLACE, of Decatur, in the county of Maconand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Methods of Knitting Narrowed Tubular Fabrics, of which the followingis a specification. V

This invention relates to the method of narrowing tubular knit fabrics,the object being to produce a stocking leg conforming in shape to thenatural form.

The method of constructing the fabric is as follows: The upper part ofthe stocking-leg is knit on a circular machine having the requisitenumber of needles, and is, for convenience in transferring, continuedsomewhat beyond the required length- The fabric is then transferred to amachine having about one-fifth fewer needles. The loops of the frontpart of the leg are placed each on a needle of the smaller cylinder.Every third loop of the rear part of the leg is skipped, and theintervening loops are placed on the remaining needles in regular order.The surplus fabric is then raveled down to the needles, after which theskipped loops are placed each on a needle next adjoining in such manneras to give each alternate needle two loops.- This arrangement providesthe needles on one side or half of the cylinder with one loop each,while giving one-half of the needles on the other side or half oneloopeach,and the other half two loops each, the single loops and the doubleloops being regularly alternate. After the transfer is effected, asstated, the stocking is completed on the small cylinder in the customarymanner. The narrowing part of the stockingso knitted consists of twowales of the wider portion combining in one. of the narrower, then onewale running through both the wider and the narrower portions, then twoWales of the wider portion combining in one of the narrower, and so onalternately, the construction enabling the narrowing process to afiectthe rear part of the leg only, and to contract the same so graduallyasto leave the leg,when properly shaped, in close approximation to thenatural'form.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a tube knitted in the customary manner, the brokenline m showing the line on which the transfer is made to the smallercylinder, and the extension below such line showing the-part of the tubethat is to be raveled prior to placing the skipped loops on the needlesof the small cylinder. Fig. 2 shows an arrangement of loops as theyappear after the first step of the transfer is completed, the skippedloops being thrown to the inside of the circle. Fig. 3 shows thearrangement of the loops after the transfer is completed, the heavylines indicating double loops and the light lines indicating singleloops. Fig.4. represents the appearance of a stocking-leg as it comesfrom the machine, the wales in the narrowing portion being eachindicated by a single line. Fig. 5 is a more complete representation ofthe arrangement of wales in then arrowing portion.

While absolute accuracy in the performance of the process is notindispensable, it is very desirable, as a variation therefrom willeither narrow the leg too abruptly or extend the narrowing portion toofar around the leg to give the desired form.

I claim The method of making a narrowed stocking-leg, which consists inknitting a tube slightly longer than the wider portion of the finishedleg, then transferring the tube to a cylinder having fewer needles insuch manner that a narrow band projects above the needles, skippingevery third needle on one side of the cylinder, and transferring onestitch to each needle on the other side of the cylinder, then ravelingthe narrow band down to the needles, then placing the skipped loops eachon a needle next adjoining in such JOHN H. PLACE.

Attest:

I. D. WALKER, L. P. GRAHAM.

